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"Optimal" cadence varies with what you're trying to optimze, so your question doesn't have a simple answer.
Freely-chosen Cadence vs. a Targeted Cadence
A recent review by Hansen et al. summarizes what is currently known about factors affecting choice of cadence. In particular, they conclude "[d]uring high-intensity cycling, close to the maximal aerobic ...

For a quick fit, the general goal is to keep the seat high enough that you can get a nearly-full leg extension, without 'locking' the knee.
Over a long period of time, if you find that you are having knee, foot or hip pains, try making small adjustments with the saddle, about 0.5-1.0cm at a time, either up, down, forwards or backwards. If the pain gets ...

There are a number of ways to determine the seat height for a road bicycle. But you should also pay attention to how you feel while riding your bike at different heights. In addition, it is important to consider your entire position, not only the seat height. Finally, if you are riding a lot, change your seat height in small increments over time to avoid ...

Copied this from a saddle mfg website: How to measure your own sit bones
Of course the measure you really want is between the centres of your ischial tuberosities – the pointy lower parts of your pelvic bone on either side. Many bike dealers have a pad that you can sit on to measure this distance, but you can do it at home too.
Take a piece of aluminium ...

First off, unless you aspire to be a professional racer (or at least a highly competitive amateur) ignore the advice that you "must turn at least 90 rpm" or whatever.
Secondly, even if you DO have such aspirations, you're not going to do well by trying to achieve a high cadence right from the start -- it's something that you must develop slowly.
With ...

I'd wager the two biggest reasons you don't see foot-sized pedals are the increased rotational weight, and the difficulty you would have catching the pedal with your foot before it struck the ground or the front tire. I'm sure someone tried this once and promptly scrapped the idea after the foot-sized pedal struck something.
Pedals need to be stiff and ...

Choosing a saddle that fits you is very important. The wrong saddle can lead to numbness and pain in the crotch area, and in the long run serious health issues. The right saddle for you should fit comfortably regardless of what type of riding you do and will depend mainly on the width of your pelvic. Ideally you should get a professional fit. If one is not ...

The best advice I heard on the topic is to sit comfortably on the bike while placing your heel on the pedal. Move the seat up until your leg is fully extended, and then tighten the seat. This way, the leg will be only slightly bent at full extension when the ball of the foot is on the pedal.
You definitely don't want the leg to be fully extended while ...

You have a few options here.
You can get a two-legged kickstand. These are primarily used with heavy touring loads, but they will help stabilize the bike when parking with an uneven load. The two legs fold up into each other when you disengage the kickstand. You generally cut these with a hacksaw to shorten them to the appropriate length. I used one for a ...

For downhill and all forms of trail riding (freeride, enduro, all mountain etc) the prefered way is 1 finger (index) on each lever. Anything else can be dangerous. If the brakes are not powerful enough for dealing with this then they either need fix or replacement to proper brakes for this type of riding.
Also, riders position the levers closer to the stem ...

Yes, a more aggressive stance requires a narrower saddle.
Your pelvic bone is a fairly complicated structure, but there's basically a triangle that you sit on with a saddle. There's two bumps ("ischial protrusions") at the back end that take your weight if you're sitting with your back straight up (such as on a chair or the saddle of a cruiser or dutch ...

Depending on how much you ride, you may want to consider having your bike professionally fit at a bike store.
My wife received a free fit when we bought her Dolce at Peleton Cycles, but they told me they will fit anyone to their bike for about $70. It's pricey, but if you are riding your bike constantly, it may be worth the money.
It took them about an ...

I've been suffering from this recently now that I've upped my mileage to 40+ mile rides. My solution was 3 fold:
1) Starting the ride with my shoes quite loose. I have Shimano road / race shoes with 2 velcro straps and a ratchet strap across the top of my foot. I found that I was ratcheting the shoes down too tight.
2) Cleat position. Try experimenting ...

Wipe the bar with isopropyl alcohol. It evaporates completely and will leave dry rubber against a clean bar.
If they slip and slide after more than about 24 hours left alone, the you may need to replace the grips (assuming they're not new).
The high alcohol content is what makes hairspray effective, and using isopropyl alcohol cuts out the sticky residue ...

You might consider:
Arkel Bug, which works as a backpack. Quite modern, sporty look.
Ortlieb Downtown, which has a comfortable shoulder strap.
You might check other products of those two producers, if you need a bigger/smaller cargo capacity.
Both of these panniers are very easy to attach to your bike. Perfect for your daily commuting needs and running ...

The only rough rule that applies is that the more you ride, the narrower and harder saddle you need. Beyond that it's very individual and there seem to be be no shortcuts - you need to go through a few saddles.
Also, a saddle that fits on one bike may not be the best fit on another bike, due to differences in position.
At best you can try to get an ...

If it's not broken, don't fix it. The act of folding ourselves onto a bicycle, (especially one with any kind of aerodynamic advantage over a mountain bike) is not a natural-looking position for a human body. We're built to be more or less upright, which is not an aerodynamic position on the bike.
So, if you're comfortable on your bike and feel like you're ...

For most people the advice goes that you keep your foot as flat as possible. There are some riders that ride toes down (even some famous ones in the Tour) but they've had a coach determine that in their specific case there is benefit to riding toes down.
It's unlikely that you can keep your foot entirely level as it comes over the top of your pedal stroke ...

I don't think you have a problem here. Physiologically, your thighs are the engine room of your legs. They are designed for endurance and power and can keep working at a high output for extended periods of time.
Your calves are more for short bursts of power, such as jumping or sprinting. They can't sustain high power output for any length of time. In ...

You can do it on any surface which will conform to the shape of your butt, like a piece of memory foam.
Sit on it, with your knees higher than your seat by 4-6 inches, then measure the center of the depressions left.
There are different types of memory foam, and some will have a more durable impression than others.

You may also want to look into getting some thicker padded cycling pants. Amazon has some decent padded pants that may give you a bit more protection when riding.
This may also sound stupid, but have you fit yourself on your bike? Even slight adjustments up/down and forward/back on your seat of handlebars can totally change the way yours arms and butt feel ...

Yes, there is hope for skinny people like us.
Please keep in mind that sitting on a saddle for miles/hours on end is never going to be totally comfortable. I'm sure I will get flamed for this but I'll go ahead and state it- there is no such thing as a comfortable saddle. Saddle choice is a matter of mitigating discomfort, not enhancing comfort.
The two most ...

I think this should be possible, as long as your wife is happy in the navigator position and you are OK with being the bug-shield. Having the larger person on the back is difficult, but may be possible with unusual designs.
I'm always banging on about how important bike fit is and a tandem is no different. Do make sure you try as many as possible before ...

I often get tingling in my outside 2 toes during long road rides. I find periodically taking one foot off a pedal and stretching my leg out and flexing my ankle around really helps. Doesn't even require stopping.
If it becomes more severe, you may find stopping and doing some full stretching will help.

There are some very good answers on here that go part way to explaining why there are something like 2000 saddles on the market.
You did not mention whether you dress up for your daily commute with padded cycling shorts, however, your hybrid bike is designed for more general use, i.e. jeans and T-shirt, not the padded shorts. Hence it has a padded seat and ...

Looks to me like the difference is as much in the stem as in the bar. (It may be that for the Dr. Dew the bar has simply been rotated to a flatter position.) And both bikes appear to use a threadless headset, so the stem can be replaced without touching the headset proper. In some cases the stem is designed to allow it to be removed from the bar without ...

There is a technique known as "toeing". Basically, as you turn the crank with your feet your toe angles up and down -- up at the top of the stroke and down at the bottom. This makes use of some of the strength/energy of the calf muscles.
But to do this well you must be riding with the ball of your foot on the pedal (generally implying toe clips or ...

Whatever works. The main advantage of the standard drop bar is that it offers you multiple hand positions and multiple postures. In a sprint, or driving into a headwind, riding fully on the drops cuts wind resistance, but for less intense riding one of the several hand position on the top bar or on the hoods is usually preferred. And on long rides the ...

Penny-farthings are known for their relatively harsh ride, and lack of stability. There is no option on many frames to replace the saddle, although there were some that you could. I would get a sprung Brooks saddle, or similar, which might add a bit of comfort without significantly sacrificing the vintage look.
It will add a bit of suspension effect as ...

I look at it the other way - whats the required number of figures to maintain a hold of the handle bars. On a sealed road it's close to 0, leaving 4 for braking. In a serious rough/rocky track, it might take four, leaving none for the brakes (along praying it smooths out soon). Lose the handle bar, you lose brakes and steerage - theres only one way that ...